A millennium and a half after the end of the period of its unquestioned dominance, Rome remains a significant presence in western culture. This book explores what the empire meant to its subjects.The idea of Rome has long outlived the physical empire that gave it form, and now holds sway over vastly more people and a far greater geographical area than the Romans ever ruled. It continues to shape our understanding of the nature of imperialism, and thus,... more...

Ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel are highly dangerous for the Middle East and have the potential to spark another major war in the region, perhaps on a much larger scale than prior conflicts. Such a confrontation between the two nations would jeopardize regional and international security, and is of immediate concern for the United States.In this new book noted scholars Jalil Roshandel and Nathan Lean provide an in-depth look at topics such as... more...

This report reviews and updates the 2002 National Research Council report, Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). This report also assesses various topics, including: the plans to maintain the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile without nuclear-explosion testing; the U.S. capability to detect, locate, and identify nuclear explosions; commitments necessary to sustain the stockpile and the U.S. and... more...

Consisting of 192 Member States, the United Nations was founded in 1945 to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations based on the respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples; to achieve international cooperation in solving problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character; and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without... more...

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The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians is considered intractable by many, and is frequently characterised by the violence between the two sides. In attempts at peace, the starting point for negotiations is a cessation of violence; beneath this, however, lies a plethora of other issues to be addressed. This unique text brings together Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints on a number of key issues and topics, making clear the points of... more...

From Michael Klare, the renowned expert on natural resource issues, an invaluable account of a new and dangerous global competitionThe world is facing an unprecedented crisis of resource depletion—a crisis that goes beyond “peak oil” to encompass shortages of coal and uranium, copper and lithium, water and arable land. With all of the planet’s easily accessible resource deposits rapidly approaching exhaustion, the desperate hunt for supplies... more...

The Middle East is a major focus of world interest. This atlas provides accessible, concisely written entries on the most important current issues in the Middle East, combining maps with their geopolitical background. Providing a clear context for analysis of key concerns, it includes background topics, the position of the Middle East in the world and profiles of the constituent countries. Features include: clearly and thematically organized... more...

Focusing on the vastly different outcomes of post-Soviet regime transitions, this study explores why some societies have become more democratic and some have not. Based on in-depth comparative analyses, the book assesses political developments in six of Russia's regions (Saratov, Nizhnii Novgorod, Volgograd, Ryazan', Ul'yanovsk, and Tver' oblasts) since 1988. The authors consider the influence of Soviet governance systems on the emergence of cleavages... more...

This is the seventeenth volume in an annual series in which leading economists provide a concise and accessible evaluation of major developments in trade and trade policy.Examines key issues pertinent to the multinational trading system, as well as regional trade arrangements and policy developments at the national levelProvides up-to-date assessments of the World Trade Organization's current Trade Policy ReviewsA vital resource for researchers,... more...